SKI CARRYING TIE

Abstract: A pair of ties (A and B) for facilitating the carrying of skis and ski poles and each comprising a strap (1), a buckle (2), one patch (3) of a complementary pair of hook and loop fastening patches secured to the strap at or adjacent the strap end remote from the buckle, and with the other patch (4) of the complementary pair secured to the strap part way along the length of the strap and on the same side of the strap as the first patch, said straps being adapted to wrap one around the skis and poles in the vicinity of the heel binding of the skis to press the poles on to the upper heel binding, and the other strap to wrap around both skis between the toe bindings and noses of the skis and over the two poles to press the handles of the poles upon the upper ski.

Description: SKI CARRYING TIE. This invention relates to improvements in ties and more particularly ties for facilitating the carrying of skis and ski poles. Sets of skis and ski poles are notoriously cumbersome to carry due to their length, weight and their consisting of four separate components, namely the two skis and the two poles, all of irregular shape. This invention has for its object to facilitate their being carried by enabling binding the poles to the skis to form a single package wherein the poles provide a convenient carrying handle for the package. According to the invention a tie comprises a strap, a buckle, and a complementary pair of hook and loop •fastening patches secured to the strap characterized by one patch being secured at or adjacent the strap end remote from the buckle, and the other patch being secured to the strap part way along the length of the strap and on the same side of the strap as the first patch. Also according to the invention there is provided a pair of ties each as above defined and having straps of dissimilar length. Further according to the invention there is provided a pair of skis in sole to sole contact, a pair of ski poles overlying one ski in alignment with both skis and with the poles resting on the heel binding of the adjacent ski, and a pair of ties each comprising a strap provided with a buckle and a complementary pair of hook and loop fastening patches; said straps wrapping one around the skis in the vicinity of the poles supporting heel binding and over the two poles with the complementary patches engaged to retain the strap in tension to press the poles on to the said heel binding, and the other strap wrapping around both skis between the toe bindings and noses of the skis and over the two poles with that strap's complementary patches engaged to hold the strap in tension to press the handles of the poles upon the adjacent ski. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of ties according to the invention, Figures 2 and 3 are plan and sectional elevation views of one of the ties, and Figure 4 shows the ties in use in conjunction with a pair of skis and poles. Two ties A and B each comprise a strap 1 made from similar width polyester webbed tape. Each strap 1 is fitted with a synthetic plastics buckle 2 of the type commonly known in the trade as a ladder lock retainer. This buckle 2 is of generally rectangular configuration having four parallel transverse bars 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d between the two opposite parallel sides 2e of the buckle- On to the same face of each strap is sewn a complementary pair of rectangular patches 3 and 4 of hook and loop fastening material such as for example sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO. One of these patches 3 overlies the tongue end part of the strap and the second part 4 is positioned part way along the length of the strap so that in use as hereinafter described the two parts can be brought one to overlie the other and into interlocking engagement in accordance with the property of these complementary materials. Preferably the tongue end patch 3 is made of the hook material since this usually has the stiffer characteristic of the pair and accordingly is an aid to the complementary materials being pressed together. The gap between the two patches 3 and 4 in the length of each strap allows the flexibility of that part of the strap between the patches which overlies the end bar 2d of the buckle to facilitate the manual tensioning of the straps in use. The two straps A and B are of dissimilar lengths to enable them to bind in the manner hereinafter described. On the opposite side of the tongue of each strap to that carrying the fastening patch 3 there may be provided a label 5 of a stiff material with the advantage that in addition to carrying advertising or decorative printing it again serves to stiffen the tongue and tidy, for example with heat sealing, the otherwise raw frayed ends of the polyester fibre tapes. The end 6 of each strap 1 remote from that carrying the fastening patch 3 is first threaded through the gap between the outer and the adjacent parallel bar 2a and 2b, over the next bar 2c and is then returned under that bar 2c and back over the second bar 2b thereby to be returned in back to back contact with the part of the strap entering the buckle. The strap 1 is then drawn tight in the buckle 2 to wrap the strap around the third bar 2c where it is kept in place by the self-locking action of the buckle. Each buckle is positioned at the appropriate position on its respective strap so that when the patch carrying ends of the straps are introduced through the gaps between the parts of the straps around the third bar 2c and the fourth or outermost buckle bar 2d and the straps are tensioned then the two interlocking patches 3 and 4 of each pair can be made to overlie one another substantially overall instead of in part overlap. In use, the pair of skis 7 and 8 are put one above the other with their soles in face to face contact and with their binding's brakes 9 and 10 interlocking in the usual manner known to all skiers. The pair of poles 11 and 12 are aligned with and above the upper ski 7 so that the pole baskets 13 lie behind the upper skis heel binding 14 and with the shanks of the two poles near the pole baskets resting upon the upper surface of the upper ski's heel binding 14 and the handles 15 of the poles resting upon the upper face of the upper ski 10 near the latter 's nose. The strap of the longer tie B is then passed underneath the lower ski 8, around the sides of the upper ski just behind its heel binding 14, and over the poles 11 and 12. With the skis and poles in this position the longer strap has its tongue threaded between buckle bars 2c and 2d, the strap is tensioned by hand as tightly as possible and the tongue patch 3 is pressed into engagement with the second patch 4 of the strap to retain the strap in tension whilst holding the pole shanks pressed firmly on top of the heel binding 14 within the cup formed by the heel accommodating recess in the forward edge of the heel engaging trigger usually present on the heel binding. The strap of the shorter tie A is wrapped around both skis 7 and 81 and poles 11 and 12 between the toe binding 16 and 20 of the skis just behind the pole handles 15, and the tongue of this strap is threaded through the buckle eye between the buckle bars 2c and 2d. The strap is then tensioned to press the pole handles 15 tightly on top of the upper face of the upper ski 7 and its tongue patch 3 is pressed into engagement with the complementary second patch 4 to retain this strap in tension. In this manner the poles 11 and 12 are bound tightly to the skis 7 and 8 so as to form a package which can easily be carried by grasping the poles as a handle in a region between the heel and toe bindings 14 and 16 of the skis. A typical pair of ties according to the above description is illustrated in the accompanying drawing where the longer strap has a length of about 53 centimetres overall and is assembled with 10 centimetres returned from the buckle, the shorter strap has a length of about 41 centimetres and is assembled with 7 centimetres returned from the buckle, and the complementary hook and loop patches are each of about 7.5 centimetres length. A transparent pocket may be sewn on the patch bearing face of the longer strap between the patches and buckle for the purpose of receiving a label for example to identify the owner of the skis on which the straps are used. A finger tab 2f can be incorporated into each buckle to facilitate gripping of the buckle and to carry advertising matter.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A tie comprising a strap, a buckle, and a complementary pair of hook and loop fastening patches secured to the strap, characterised by one patch being secured at or adjacent the strap end remote from the buckle, and the other patch being secured to the strap part way along the length of the strap and on the same side of the strap as the first patch. 2. A tie according to Claim 1 wherein the buckle is adjustably mounted on the strap with the opposite end of the strap to that with the patch returned by the buckle. 3. A tie according to Claim 2 wherein the buckle is a ladder lock retainer. 4. A tie according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a stiffening material is present on the strap directly opposite the strap's end patch. 5. A pair of ties each according to any one of the preceding claims and with different length straps. 6. A pair of skis in sole to sole contact, a pair of ski poles overlying one ski in alignment with both skis and with the poles resting on the heel binding of the adjacent ski, and a pair of ties each comprising a strap provided with a buckle and a complementary pair of hook and loop fastening patches; said straps wrapping one around the skis in the vicinity of the poles supporting heel binding and over the two poles with the complementary patches engaged to retain the strap in tension to press the poles on to the said heel binding, and the other strap wrapping around both skis between the toe bindings and noses of the skis and over the two poles with that strap's complementary patches engaged to hold the strap in tension to press the handles of the poles upon the adjacent ski. 7. A pair of skis, poles and ties according to Claim 6 and having at least one tie according to any of Claims 1 to 4 . 8. A pair of skis, poles and ties according to Claim 6 and having both ties according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 and with straps of different length. 9. A tie for binding a pair of skies and poles substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10. A pair of skis, poles and straps bound together substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: BURR DAVID FREDERICK, BURR, DAVID, FREDERICK
Applicants: BURR DAVID FREDERICK, BURR, DAVID, FREDERICK
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A63C11
IPC codes: A44B11, A63C11